GGCA “Concerned” About Financial Secretary Post
The GGCA Executive Committee says it is concerned about statements made in Parliament relating to the Financial Secretary post, as reported last week by the Gibraltar Chronicle.
A spokesperson said: “Indeed, in 2014, the GGCA made representations against the recruitment of a Financial Secretary from the private sector. However, it was explained to us that no senior civil servant with relevant experience was prepared to undertake the role at that time.
“Consequently, the GGCA requested that proper succession planning be implemented to ensure that proper training and mentoring be offered to suitably qualified senior civil servants to ensure that a number of officers would be prepared to take on the role after Mr Albert Mena. It was proposed that these officers shadow the Financial Secretary and receive ‘hands on training’ as well as undertake any academic or professional training recommended by the Financial Secretary.
“Even though this proposal was initially acceded to and in spite of repeated reminders from the GGCA, nothing has been put in place to date. This, to us, is a wasted opportunity of potentially more than five years experience and training for civil service candidates, who would be able to take on the Financial Secretary role at a far lower cost to the public purse than individuals recruited from the private sector, who are able to negotiate enormous uplifts in their starting salaries.
“Indeed, the GGCA raised a similar concern in 2018, when the Director of Public Prosecutions was recruited from the private sector, and we have also questioned the practice of reengaging retired senior civil servants as consultants at enormous cost to the taxpayer.
“It is in this context that the GGCA is disappointed when the Government of Gibraltar frequently states that the civil service is unsustainable and that efficiencies are necessary.”
